Secret Service agents win compensation for race discrimination

New York residents may be interested in learning that on Jan. 17, the Secret Service agreed to settle a claim for $24 million. In the claim, more than 100 black Secret Service agents stated that their superiors cultivated racism.

The case occurred nearly two decades ago and was brought by black agents who argued that their work environment was "blatantly discriminatory." This included white agents routinely being promoted over black agents who were more qualified. The prosecution's lead attorney stated that the lump sums that are being paid were a remedy for the opportunities that the agents missed. Some of the payments were as high as $300,000.

The secretary of Homeland Security stated that the settlement was the right thing to. He said that if the case had gone to court, it would have caused those involved to have to relive the past. However, part of the settlement was that the agency did not have to admit to any wrongdoing. The Secret Service did say that they will create a hotline that allows agents to report bias.

Workers are protected against discrimination based on their race, religion and sex. Even with these protections in place, workplace discrimination still exists. If an employee is discriminated against and it causes him or her to lose his or her job or miss out on work opportunities, an employment discrimination attorney may assist with filing a lawsuit against the employer. Depending on the situation, a lawyer may help the employee seek compensation for any losses he or she sustained due to the discrimination. In most cases, the attorney may work to settle the case out of court to save time.

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